NJDEP'S OFFICE OF SCIENCE - UPDATE ON CURRENT AND RECENTLY COMPLETED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Gary A. Buchanan, Ph.D.Manager

Office of ScienceNJDEP

October 12, 2012

NJDEP Vision Statement

Regulations that are balanced, incorporate science, provide flexibility and accurately evaluate potential impacts including cost‐benefit analyses.

We must make permitting and inspection of individuals, businesses, governmental bodies and other organization both timely and predictable, basing our decisions on science, data, facts and cost‐benefit analyses.

Science‐based decisions based on input from our Science Advisory Board and the State’s colleges and universities.

OFFICE OF SCIENCE GOALS:

Provide the department with, and access to, expertise and information that supports its technical, program and policy needs.

Act as liaisons to the Science Advisory Board and Standing Committees that will help provide the Department with outside expertise on scientific issues.

Perform research to meet the information and problem-solving needs of the department, and to identify and understand emerging issues that require the department's attention and response.

Advocate and integrate the multi-disciplinary perspective into the department's identification, analysis and resolution of environmental issues.

Office of Science

• Program Support– Technical Support– Research Support

• Science Advisory Board• Multidisciplinary• Sound Science - Basis for Decisions

Experience –Science Based Support

• Air Monitoring/Modeling

• Fish Monitoring & Consumption Advisories

• Human Health Risk Assessment

• Standards Development

• Data Analysis & Interpretation

• Literature Reviews

Experience –Science Based Support

• Spatio-temporal Modeling/GIS

Mapping

• Environmental Trends Analysis

• Water Quality Indicators

• Method Development (e.g.,

analytical)

• Emission Inventory Development

Science Advisory Board

NJDEP COMMISSIONER

OFFICE OF SCIENCE

SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD

CLIMATE & ATMOSPHERIC

SCIENCES COMMITTEE

ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES COMMITTEE

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE

WATER QUALITY & QUANTITY

COMMITTEE

AD HOC COMMITTEE(S)

DEPARTMENT STAFF

PUBLIC

STAFF EXPERTISE

Toxicologists/Risk Assessment Biologists/Ecologists Air Quality/Modeling Specialists Water Quality Specialists GIS Chemist Statistician Microbiologist Environmental Scientists

RESEARCH

Variety reflects scope of NJDEP programs

Drinking Water Unregulated Contaminants: e.g.,

Pharmaceuticals and PCPs Hexavalent Chromium Oil Spill Barnegat Bay

RECENT RESEARCH

Crumb Infill and Turf Characterization for Trace Elements and Organic Materials

New Jersey Private Well Testing Act – Results by County/Municipality (June 2012)

Ocean Wind/Power Ecological Baseline Studies

Ocean/Wind Power Ecological Baseline Studies

• 2 Year $7M Study• Birds, Marine

Mammals & Sea Turtles

• Environmental Suitability for Renewable Energy

Activities & Photos conducted under NMFS Permit No. 10014-01

Barnegat Bay

Other Studies

ACTIVE RESEARCH

BARNEGAT BAY

GOVERNOR’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION

10 point plan http://www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/

Plan 9: Producing more Comprehensive Research Support water quality improvement (nutrient

criteria) Establish the baseline conditions of the bay Fill in critical data gaps Advance habitat restoration on the Bay

Benthic Invertebrate Community Monitoring and Indicator Development

Gary Taghon, Judy Grassle, Charlotte Fuller, Rosemarie Petrecca

Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences

BARNEGAT BAY NUTRIENT INFERENCE MODEL

Mihaela Enache, Don Charles; Patrick Center for

Environmental Research Marina Potapova; Center for

Systematic Biology and Evolution

Academy of Natural Sciences

Benthic-pelagic coupling: Hard clams as indicators of suspended particulates in the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor (BB-LEH) estuary

V. Monica Bricelj, John Kraeuter, & Gef Flimlin

Barnegat Bay

Phytoplankton and Harmful

Algal Blooms

Ling Ren & Donald Charles

Patrick Center for Environmental Research

ANSP

BASELINE SURVEY OFZOOPLANKTON OF

BARNEGAT BAYSeptember 29, 2011

• Mr. James Nickels, Marine Scientist, Urban Coast Institute*• Dr. Ursula Howson, Assistant Professor*• Dr. Thomas Noji, NOAA, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Director,* *• Dr. Jennifer Samson, NOAA, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Chief, Marine Chemistry Branch**

* Monmouth University ** James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory, Sandy Hook

BARNEGAT BAY RESEARCH

Assessment of Fishes and Crabs Responses to Human Alteration – K. Able, T. Grothues, Rutgers University & Paul Jivoff, Rider University

Assessment of the Distribution and Abundance of Stinging Sea Nettles (Jellyfishes) – Paul Bologna and Jack Gaynor, Montclair State University

Ecological Evaluation of Sedge Island Marine Conservation Area – Paul Jivoff, Rider University

OFFICE OF SCIENCE

OTHER RESEARCH

Delineation of a Potential Gaseous Elemental Mercury Emissions Source in Northeastern NJ

• Goal: Determine source of periodic increased concentrations of Hg. July 2011 - 2012.

• Principle investigators: John Reinfelder, Rutgers University and William Wallace, College of Staten Island (CSI)

• Hg0 data are being collected with Tekran unit at CSI, will be augmented by near-field measurements with Lumex unit

• Initial analyses started, will include comparison with weather data

Elizabeth site, elemental >= 3.0 ng/m3

Radionuclides in Northern New Jersey Fractured-Rock Aquifers, Geological and Geochemical Indicators of Variability, and Regional

Implications

U.S. Geological Surveyin cooperation with

N.J. Dept. Environmental ProtectionZoltan Szabo, Judith Louis, Steve Spayd

NUTRIENT REFERENCES CONDITIONS IN NJ LAKES Assess natural or reference conditions

of NJ lakes to support development of numeric nutrient and other biological criteria

Sediment cores – nutrient levels Diatom-based inference models Quantify pre-settlement trophic

conditions Quantify change to present

EXAMINATION OF LOCAL MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS DURING REDUCTIONS IN MERCURY EMISSIONS IN NEW JERSEY- PHASE II

Goal to confirm decline of Hg in fish tissue due to elimination & reduction of local Hg sources

Examining Hg levels in 2 year old largemouth bass in five lakes in NJ and watershed leaf samples

2007, 2009, 2011 completed 2013 planned

REMOVAL OF UNREGULATED ORGANIC CHEMICALS IN FULL-SCALE WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES

Team Approach: Catherine Dipietro & George Budd, Black & Veatch Dr. Judy Louis, NJDEP Laura Cummings, PVWC John Dyksen and John Ludington, United Water Joe Maggio, Brick Township MUA

Investigate the effectiveness of full scale conventional and advanced water treatment processes for removal of organic chemicals

USE OF INNOVATIVE DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FOR SITE ASSESSMENT/CLOSURE

Environmental Molecular Diagnostics (EMDs)

New tools for site monitoring and management PCR/qPCR (polymerase chain reaction) DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel

Electrophoresis) Sequencing

Publicly funded sites Use EMDs to direct bioremediation Support site closure

FUTURE RESEARCH

Barnegat Bay – Year 2

Drinking Water

Hazardous Waste

Emerging Contaminants

OFFICE OF SCIENCE

Gary.Buchanan@dep.state.nj.us 609-984-6070

Information and Publications:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/